By Henry T. Kargbo
One of the lawyers representing the fourth accused in the continuing ACC matter, Dr. Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara, Africanus Sorie Sesay has Wednesday 5th March 2023 raised objection that the video used/screened in court is to ridicule their client.
He expressed dissatisfaction about the partial way in which the video to present the situation in New York, during the hearing at the construction site, saying that “the video is being used to ridicule their client the fourth accused person”.
Lawyer Africanus Sorie Sesay raised the objection yesterday at the High Court No1 in Freetown presided over by Hon Justice A. Fisher.
He told the court that this is a crucial stage of the matter during which the accused persons are presumed to be innocent, adding that it is only the video side of this matter the public will get and the public will also determine the outcome of this case.
He told the bench that the video will affect and prejudice of the case, because there are no certain witnesses who are on camera, pointing out that there has to be equality of the case.
Lawyer Sorie Sesay said the fourth accused is now a presidential aspirant and the views of the people would be affected by what goes on. He added that there is no legal laws of what you have said as to regards with the video voicing.
“Am not interested in what the public says or do, am more concerned about the evidence before him”, he said, and furthered that earlier the APC party did not has a presidential candidate before the court so we never thought it fit to allow members of the public see what it going on, but now that the status of the accused person has changed as the rumours of the matter been a witch hunt or conspiracy of this case.
Lawyer Sesay said that the video recordings are being used to ridicule the fourth accused person. He asked the Judge do you have political considerations in mind? to which the Judge replied, “I don’t”, Justice Fisher, pointing out that he considers the weight of evidence before him against the accused persons rather than his political ambitions.
The defence counsel also objected to the trending of the 33-page Report on the chancery building.
Cross examining the second prosecution witness (PW2), Paul Somba Bockarie, Pa Momoh Fofaneh Esq., the witness recalled testifying on several occasions being called upon.
He said he made two separate visits to the chancery building to monitor the process and activities of the chancery building and investigated in July and made a report in August.
In respond defence counsel for the first accused questioned the witness on his report made on whether he is an expect during that visit.
In his responded that he is the Professional Head of Engineering Department at the Ministry of Works.
Hon Justice A. Fisher adjoined the matter to today 6 March 2023 for furthered cross examination.
